Portable electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptop computers and the like have become ubiquitous in recent years. Users carry these devices while travelling in automobiles, on buses, trains, and on airplanes. Because users have grown accustomed to carrying these devices, many users carry these devices while engaging in strenuous activities such as running, climbing and the like. Because users are in possession of these devices in many environments, they are sometimes dropped or otherwise exposed to shock events involving rapid acceleration or deceleration. In addition, these devices may sometimes be exposed to elements such as water and may even be dropped into water environments such as a lake, ocean, or even a bathtub or sink within the home.
By subjecting the portable electronic devices to shock and environmental conditions such as those described above, users risk damage to the electronics in these devices and/or damage to the housing containing these electronics. Such damage can result in poor or no performance of the portable electronic device and/or diminution of the aesthetic appeal of the exterior of such devices. In a situation where the portable electronic device is dropped into water, the user may face a risk not only of irreparably damaging the device due to water ingress, but also of losing the device altogether as these devices will sink, and, depending upon the depth and clarity of the water, the portable electronic device may become unrecoverable.
Some modern portable electronic devices incorporate an accelerometer into the device for various purposes. An accelerometer is a device that can measure the force of acceleration, whether caused by gravity or by movement. Conceptually, an accelerometer behaves as a damped mass on a spring. When an accelerometer experiences a change in movement, the mass is displaced to the point that the spring is able to accelerate the mass at the same rate as the casing. The displacement is then measured to give the acceleration. An accelerometer can therefore measure the speed of movement of an object it is attached to. Piezoelectric, piezoresistive and capacitive components are commonly used to convert the mechanical motion into an electrical signal.
Because an accelerometer senses acceleration due to movement and gravity, the angle at which a device incorporating an accelerometer can be determined. Accelerometers are increasingly being incorporated into personal electronic devices to detect the orientation of the device, or portions of a device such as, for example, a display screen. The motion and angle of the device is noted by the sensors or a processing unit receiving information from the sensors, so the device can know the orientation of the screen with respect to a gravity vector.